Boston archdiocese settled 149 sex abuse lawsuits prior to current scandal

Associated Press/August 13, 2003

Boston -- Records released by Boston's Roman Catholic archdiocese reveal the church paid (m) millions of dollars to settle sex abuse lawsuits prior to the current scandal.

The documents show the church paid at least 21 (m) million between 1994 and 2001.

The archdiocese is currently offering 55 (m) million dollars to more than 500 alleged clergy abuse victims.

An attorney whose firm represents victims says the records reinforce claims that church's top officials knew about the problem but did little to stop it.

Meanwhile, a judge has ordered the archdiocese to give psychiatric records of 61 priests to victims' lawyers.

The judge says the archdiocese does not hold a privilege for the psychiatric and medical records of individual priests.